Animated attachment for drinking glasses



April 3, 1951 E. N. 'GENOVES'E 2,547,312

ANIMATED ATTACHMENT FOR DRINKING GLASSES Filed July 25, 1947 :lluimliur EDGAR N. GENOVESE- l atented Apr. 3, 19 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE ANllVIATED ATTACHMENT FOR DRINKING GLASSES Edgar N. Genovese, Baltimore, Md.

Application July 25, 1947, Serial No. 763,614 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-116) i This invention refers to drinking glasses and analogous articles which individuals use, and the provision of subject matter mechanically connected therewith to attract the attention of the user and interest him in the gyrations that are produced.

While transparent or translucent drinking and feeding vessels have been used in which illustrations have appeared at the bottom so as to be visible to the eyes of the user when he drinks or eats therefrom, such illustrations are of a stationary character that does not afford the attractiveness which an active movement or action produces, especially an interest based on sequential events therein. The stationary picture reduces the possible interest after the first time viewed to a minimum, and therefore has little influential effect on the individual using it. In this invention a structure is involved in the vessel that has a peculiar operation sufiicient to keep the interest of the user and focus his attention every time the article is utilized.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved drinkin or feeding vessel that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved drinking and feeding vessel that will have within its structure, a mechanical device that will make various sequential movements of general interest to the user without involving any particular effort on his part to produce them.

An additional object of the herein described invention is to provide a new and improved drinking and feeding vessel that will have a supplementary structure within its base and out of the way ofthe articles of food or drink contained therein, that will operate to show the movement of eyes or other features of a human head or face or other design, as it is tilted to different angles during drinking or feeding therefrom.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

For a clearer understanding of the invention, and the objects thereof reference is made to the drawings attached and the following description. These together cooperate to illustrate a particular form of the invention by way of example and indicate the principles thereof, while the claims show the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a glass embodying this invention with eyes closed,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, v

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 1 with eyes open.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings, a tumbler or drinking glass iii of conventional form is provided with a false bottom ll. comprising a base 26 and upstanding central projection 26a and compartment l2 in which lug members E3 and 38 project from a disc 30 rotatably mounted on 2611, as shown in Figure 2. The material of which the tumbler is composed may be of glass, plastic or other transparent composition of sufiicient clarity to permit opaque items to be seen through the base Id of the glass Ill. The picture of a face 15 is engraved or printed on the surface iii of the rotating disc 30 in which It represents the openings for the eyes I1 and 3B the opening for the mouth 31. The members l3 and 38 have transverse holes I9 and 49 therethrough that serve as bearings for wire rods 20 and 39 respectively. Attached-011 these rods 20 and 39 are hollow capsules 2! and 40 in which balls 22 acting as weights can move around. The capsules 2! and ma be attached in any suitable manner to a side of each wire rod 20 and 39 near a location adjacent the center of the eyes or mouth.

A flat curved element 36 on which a picture is painted representing the eye 23 and the lid 24 of the eye, is cemented to one end of each eye capsule and both are aligned with one another. Each eye 23 and eyelid 2 t sweeps radially in front of its respective eye openin in accordance with the position of the glass. Thus if the drinking glass [0 is in a vertical position, the eyelids 24 are shown through their respective openings H and the eyes appear closed. As the glass it is tilted towards a horizontal plane the weights 22 move in the capsules under the action of gravity, to a position that tilts them and the curved elements so that the closed eyes begin to open up and show the eye proper as the lids are displaced from the openings. The more the glass is tilted to a horizontal position, the more the eye opens and at a predetermined point the eyes 23 snap open and become more evident. When returned to a vertical position, the eyelids 24 move to indicate that the eyes are closed, as the discs rotate with their capsules 2| under the action-of the balls 22 on the mechanism supporting them. The capsules 2| rotate easily with their respective rods 29 revolving in their bearings in the members l3. Since balls are used for the Weights they can in some of their movements produce startling effects especially when they act suddenly to operate the eyes. It is preferred that the face be so painted that the structure of the members, rods and capsules be not observable through the picture of the face. The only observable moving parts are those of the eyes and eyelids. Their mechanisms are concealed in back of the picture and covered from view thereby.

In order that the capsules may be restricted in their movements and their eyes 23 and lids 24 register properly with the openings ll, stops 25 are arranged on the material of the members t3 to obstruct them when they have reached these points so the eyes will be opened to their fullest extent. Of course, the reverse arrangement of the eye opening can be arranged by changing the position of the capsules on the rods.

The action of the eyes is automatic and being seen through the bottom of the glass has a'very realistic and attractive effect. Since the mechanism of the device is sealed by a false bottom in the compartment it is kept clean and is prevented from undue interference or mischievous damage. It does not interfere with or contaminate the items of food used in the main interior 2! of the drinking glass and the latter may be cleaned or washed in a conventional way without damage to the mechanism. The construction is substantial and simple enough in operation to enable the device to be used for an indefinite length of time. The rotating disc 30 is provided with a weight 35 positioned at the bottom to retain the face in an upward position at all times.

The mouth is mounted in a manner similar to that of the eyes in order that it may move when the tumbler is tilted and appear through the opening 36. The element 4!, similar to elements 3| on which two pictures representing a mouth with pursed lips and with relaxed and smiling lips are painted is cemented to one end of the capsule 40. Thus, when the drinking glass I is in a vertical position, the pursed lips will appear through opening 36 While the eyelids 24 show through openings I1 and appear closed. When, however, the glass assumes a tilted position, the relaxed and smiling lips will apear through the opening 36 while the eyes 23 are open through openings l1.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this ap-' plication for patent to this particular form or in any other way otherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A receptacle adapted to be fitted at the transparent bottom of a drinking tumbler comprising a cylindrical side wall fitting on the side wall of the tumbler and a base closing the side wall of the receptacle, a central projection extending from said base towards the bottom of the tumbler, a disc rotatably mounted on said projection and having a simulation of a human face painted thereon so as to be seen through the bottom of the tumbler, said disc having openings therethrough representing the eyes and mouth of the human face, and gravity operated means in said receptacle including eye elements and a mouth element to cause movements of the eye and mouth elements to. appear through the openings on said disc as the receptacle is moved with the tumbler in the use thereof.

2. A receptacle as set forth in claim. 1,. said gravity operated means comprising a plurality of hollow capsules, means pivotally mountin said capsules on said disc, weighted balls in said capsules and movable therein upon tilting of the tumbler to tilt said capsules, connecting means between some of said capsules and said eye elements and connecting means between another of said capsules and said mouth element.

3. A receptacle as set forth in claim 1, said disc having a Weight positioned near the periphery thereof to rotate said disc by gravity about said central projection and maintain said disc in facially upright position when the tumbler is tilted.

EDGAR N. GENOVESE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fantoni Oct. 6, 1903 Number 

